Experimental Film & Video

Bruce Connor Films - Mark

2009-02-13T19:52:56Z

I was also surprised to hear how much of Connor's early work was totally composed of found footage. I have always though of a filmmaker as someone involved with cameras, but in his early projects he was simply the editor. But this brings to mind an interesting insight as to just what film is as an art form. Connor's work highlights the power of editing and suggesting connections between potentially unrelated ideas by putting them in sequence on a time line. It is unique property of film that no other art form has in that you can't sit and stare at it like you can a painting because a film has a time element. Sure you could pull each separate frame print them and look at them together, but that would be a very different experience than watching the film.

I also liked the concept that Connor employed in "A Movie" showing the leader (with a surprise) as a part of the film. Taking an element of the physical object that is film, a part that isn't normally considered the subject of the text of a film, and including it as part of the text. It reminds me of the way I sometimes think about philosophy as being simply examining a subject from every angle and perspective, even theoretical ones.

Bruce Connor Films-Kelsey

2009-02-13T16:26:09Z

I was surprised by the amount of "found footage" Connor used and the way that he described his ownership of the films created as owning the splices. This is interesting because in the university setting there is so much bureaucracy around appropriated (or plagiarized) material (especially when credit of the material is not given in the credits as is the case with Connor's films). This is not something I want to use in my films (especially not as a student), however, I found his concepts and rationalization of ownership and appropriation interesting.

The most exciting details in Connor's work is his use of reflection and shadow in the film described as dream-like (forgot title) and his use of exposure to evoke the spirit of the person in the photograph or film. I may use these techniques in future films (although I have used reflection and shadow) for the aesthetic quality they produce (a kind of abstraction of reality, or a questioning of which reality the character is in). I found it refreshing to see actual film footage, as opposed to the super hi-definition footage we see today. The scratches and nicks in the film which then show up when projected have a subtle elegant beauty and create another layer of interest.

What's Due Today? Check the Flow Chart.

2009-02-07T05:34:37Z

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Equipment, Passwords & Resources

2009-02-04T18:29:29Z

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Martin Arnold--Life Wastes Andy Hardy

2009-02-04T14:51:09Z

here's a little clip, the end of a longer work that i think people should be aware of.
http://strimoo.com/s14207676
hope people enjoy this. no ketchup involved...

Seeing & Blogging Information

2009-01-30T19:18:24Z

1. Group Event: Thursday February 12 - Free - tickets will be held at the box office.
WAC Cinema 7:30 - Meet in the lobby of the WAC Cinema at 7:00.
The Art and Films of Bruce Conner.

2. Group Event: Thursday, February 19 - Free - tickets will be held at the box office.
WAC Cinema 7:30 - Meet in the lobby of the WAC Cinema at 7:00.
An Evening with Pat O'Neil.

3. Group Event: April -TBA - Free
Walker Art Center Film and Video Program Selected Screenings.

4. Independent: 3 film screenings - $8 or contact Allison Herrera at allison.herrera@walkerart.org for possible reduced ticket rates - Please give her a couple days advanced notice and she does not work on weekends.
Choose 3 additional experimental films from the below WAC website to see & blog on. PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE 3 PAGES OF FILMS LISTED AT THIS SITE AND DATES AND SCREENING TIMES ARE ALSO LISTED.
http://calendar.walkerart.org/search.wac?searchfrom=1/1/2009&searchto=5/15/2009&nh=&toCategory=587&term=&fromMonth=1&fromDay=1&fromYear=2009&toMonth=5&toDay=15&toYear=2009&page=1

SEEING & BLOGGING GRADE BREAKDOWN: (20% of final grade)
GROUP - Thursday, February 12, 7:30 p.m. – The Art and Films of Bruce Conner (1933-2008).
GROUP - Thursday, February 19, 7:30 p.m. – An Evening with Pat O’Neill.
GROUP – APRIL (DATE TBA) VISIT TO WALKER ART CENTER FILM & VIDEO STUDY COLLECTION.
In addition to the above events each student is required to see three additional experimental films on view at the Walker Art Center and make a meaningful blog entry about each film. Grade breakdown for Seeing & Blogging is…
6 events = A+
5 events = A-
4 events = B
3 events = C
2 events = D
fewer than two events = F.

Experimental Video CLASS Blog: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/lukkas/expfilmvideo/

S'09 Class Syllabus

2009-01-30T16:26:03Z

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The Stalker, 1979, AndreI Tarkovsky - Russian

2009-01-13T23:08:09Z

Film - Classic - Science Fiction - Amazing Cinematography - Philosophical

]]> Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, an alien place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers. Over his wife's numerous objections, a man rises in the dead of night: he's a stalker, one of a handful who have the mental gifts (and who risk imprisonment) to lead people into the Zone to the Room, a place where one's secret hopes come true. That night, he takes two people into the Zone: a popular writer who is burned out, cynical, and questioning his genius; and a quiet scientist more concerned about his knapsack than the journey. In the deserted Zone, the approach to the Room must be indirect. As they draw near, the rules seem to change and the stalker faces a crisis.